The Social Security budget rejected almost unanimously by the National Assembly at first reading

The National Assembly overwhelmingly rejected at first reading the government's draft Social Security budget for 2027, rejecting by 115 votes to one its "revenue" part, largely stripped of its flagship measures.

A vote which amounts to rejecting the text in its entirety, without examining the “expenses” part. The left, the RN-UDR alliance and most of the LR voted against, the rest of the government camp mostly abstaining, and a MoDem deputy voting for.

Opposition to the attack

This is the conclusion of a one-sided week, with parliamentarians removing the majority of government articles, from a tax on sugary products to the renewal of a contribution from mutual societies, sometimes with voices coming from their own camp. The oppositions also managed to pass certain measures. Like the ecologist Sandrine Rousseau, who voted for a system allowing employees who have contributed for 42 years to stop working at 62, in response to the Borne reform.

Or the National Rally, which removed the social solidarity contribution of companies (known as “C3S”), a production tax in the sights of Marine Le Pen's group. Votes erased by the rejection of the text, but the various decisions of the deputies would have virtually led to a Social Security deficit of “24 billion euros”, according to David Amiel (Renaissance), Minister of the Budget. Very far from the “12.7 billion” expected by the government.

UN 49.3 looming

“We cannot have on one side soaring interest rates and here, lock ourselves into a fourth dimension,” launched the minister in the hemicycle, particularly targeting the votes of the National Rally. “The fourth dimension is still 10 years of macronism,” retorted MP Joëlle Mélin (RN), Christophe Bentz (RN) pointing out the weak mobilization at the center, “your soldiers, they deserted”.

“This text does not provide any revenue that meets the needs” or places them on “the sick, the retired, the poorest,” criticized Sandrine Runel (PS). The general rapporteur, Thibault Bazin (LR), called for “finding a path”, after examining the text in the Senate, where he is expected on November 9 in the hemicycle. Last year, the Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, succeeded in having the Social Security budget adopted, at the cost of an agreement with the PS including the suspension of the pension reform.

This year, no compromise seems to be emerging, and the government seems condemned to go through article 49 paragraph 3, at the risk of censorship. Or to use an unprecedented budget order to pass the budget without any vote.